Postmodernism in illustrated books

Abstract

Digital media offer multiple benefits to individuals and, within education, they have enabled the development of systems that adapt to each user’s needs. A significant example is the use of illustrated books in primary education, where images help to schematize real-life situations through colorful characters and allegorical stories. Depending on the theme, these books prioritize visual elements as resources that complement and expand the meaning of the text, enlarging the narrative space beyond the strictly verbal. However, while traditional children’s books are accessible and easy to consume, picturebooks introduce a higher level of complexity. In them, the relationship between word and image allows for questioning of narratives and legitimized knowledge, aligning with Lyotard’s notion of distrust toward Western metanarratives. Today, the fragmentation of knowledge generates contexts with their own internal rules, which relates to Wittgenstein’s concept of language games, where each system legitimizes itself without relying on a universal standard. Within this framework, the text analyzes how the visual language of picturebooks embodies postmodern traits and why their characteristics and effects are essential for understanding their role in contemporary literature.